We’re here, We’re queer, and We’re not going Shopping without Coupons

As I tighten the budget around my house in ways that don’t affect any measurable means of enjoyment yet result in saving money, I’ve been thinking about some of my magazine subscriptions and book purchases. Do I really need to subscribe to some of these magazines? Do I need to buy books I want? Is there a better way to get what I need and enjoy it in the process without spending a bunch of dough?

I absolutely love my books, but so often I read them and then they just collect dust. In fact when my partner Kim re-introduced me to the library a few years ago it was a major epiphany. Here I could read a bunch of fiction including some of the latest and greatest only in hardcover for free or darn cheap (costs me $.50 to put one of those “hot” new books on hold so I can read it sometime this century). I could search the library’s catalog online, see if what I wanted was checked in or not and even put books on hold so they would call me when they were available. I was overcome with joy! I’ve found the library to be a super source of getting my fiction fix. Sometimes I even grab some nonfiction too and if it is something I just “must” have for my library, I can always buy it later. The only real downfall with the library is that in this semi-Bible-thumping area you won’t find any LGBT themed things in there. I have to hunt those out elsewhere. I would love an LGBT virtual library because while I enjoy reading some of the light fiction and lesbian romances, I don’t really have a need to buy and let it collect dust. With the exception of a few meaningful books from early in our coming out experience, it is next to never that I read a story more than once.

When it comes to my business, I rely on a lot of reading to keep learning and find new resources for my clients. Many of these types of books I simply buy because I refer to them often and read them more than once. However, I wonder how many of these, at least the ones from major publishers, might be found in the library? Or, perhaps they are worth a good long glance at a local bookshop. Is it OK to read a whole book at your local bookstore with coffee shop? Or, is that considered stealing since their intent, unlike a library, is to sell merchandise? What if you buy other books or even just some coffee while you sit and read? How does that change the situation? What do you think?

These questions become even stickier when it comes to magazines. Sure I can go to the library once in a while and read them, but it doesn’t have the same allure as sitting on my deck with a glass of wine. If there are parts of a magazine I really want to keep or show to Kim, I can’t just rip the articles out, but I could photocopy them if I have enough dimes and patience. Reading magazines at the local Barnes & Noble sounds more appealing, though, doesn’t it? After all, you can buy some Starbucks coffee, curl up in a big chair and read. But, is it OK to read magazines in stores? That is the question posed by the Frugal Duchess in this article.

From the official company responses in her article, it seems that most big chains expect people to grab books and magazines and read them in the coffee shop. I mean, after all wasn’t that the whole point of these massive bookstores with coffee, cafes, and everything but the kitchen sink? They want you to spend time there and a lot of money. They know the longer you stay in the store, the more likely your purchase amount will increase. I figure if I am spending $10 on coffee and maybe a goodie when Kim & I go, I can read a $4 magazine for free assuming I don’t damage it in any way. Some of our best trips get planned in the store. It is too expensive to buy all those travel books so we sift through a pile of them and buy only those, if any, that we really want to lug with us on the plane.

That leaves me with this weeks’ question: What Would You Do? Would you read a whole book or magazine in a bookstore and not purchase it? What circumstances make it ok? When is it not ok? Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments…

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13 Responses to “WWYD: Buy or Read in the Store?”

Years ago I used to spend hours at bookstores reading through magazines, thinking that by reading them at the store, it would save me money. Instead I just bought more magazines. So then I thought I’d just subscribe to them instead of paying newstand price.

Aside from waiting forever for the magazine subscription to kick in, I was lucky if my magazines arrived in some legible condition, or if they arrived at all.

To quote my partner, I’ve been bitten by the same snake twice (that actually happened to him), so I’m not sure what to do about magazines anymore. Maybe I’ll go back to reading them at the bookstore. Maybe I’ll just stick to online content. Or maybe I’ll try to make a dent in the pile of 40+ books on my “To Read Shelf” at home.

I go to the library every week. For my favorite writers, I’ll buy books at the Strand or my local independent bookstore. I prefer to feed the coffers of the authors & small businesses I love. My local library has just about every book I’ve ever wanted, so it’s just a matter of buying what I plan on reading again- usually great fiction. But travel books are great to get at the library! I re-check them out right before a trip and bring them with me

[…] WWYD: Buy Or Read In The Store? I have no objections to reading a book in a bookstore that I’m a regular customer of. However, if I’ve never shopped there, I can fully understand why a bookstore owner would be unimpressed with me lounging on a chair reading a new bestseller. (@ queercents) […]

Hmmm…as I recall from economics, what we’re dealing with here is the concept of implicit rent. Based on your description, my guess is that if you’re regularly reading a magazine under these conditions, you’d be better off subscribing. I’m basing this on your latte ($4) and the scone ($2) you couldn’t resist (I saw the crumbs on the magazine). If we assume that you regularly spend around $6 for each visit and read 1-4 magazines per visit multiplied by 8 months per year…you’re spending $48 at the store…whereas you might spend $10-$20 for a year’s subscription to an individual magazine.

However your point is well-taken…since I subscribe to 9 magazines: (Advocate, Genre, Out, Instinct (its hell being a professional homosexual), Newsweek, Popular Science, Popular Mechanics and the Journal of Light Construction)) and I’m generally months behind on at least 5 of them…but I also use them as an indicator if I’m working out enough…they go in my workout bag and as the weight increases, I spend more time on the Stairmaster. (And I’ll leave the issue of my excessive carbon footprint alone here now as well…)

Further on the professional homosexual note; I believe its worth supporting magazines that target our community…admittedly the content is not always the greatest, but the alternative, having no content, much worse…and less than 15 years ago, that was the case, with the Advocate as our sole national information source.

So I say, do a cost-benefit on each subscription and judge each on its own merits.

I’m guilty. I recently reread “Into the Wild” at the bookstore, without buying anything. Would read for about an hour, 100 pages or so, while sitting on a bench or stool. Three or four episodes was all it took. I think it mattered that this section was downstairs, two levels removed from the coffee shop, and the least trafficked area in the store. But if I spend $100/year in the place, is it still okay?

I have done a lot of reading in bookstores. Generally because I read manga and I couldn’t possibly afford to buy all that I read. I read what I want in the store and wait for coupons (borders rewards) before I purchase the series that I like the most.
Before I got into manga and had a decent job I generally read in the bookstore because I couldn’t afford the books. once I got the job and paid off debt I started buying the books that I had read that I liked.
I have recently started to buy used if I can find the book i want.

I’m usually a cheapskate at the bookstores – I don’t buy a coffee or pastry because I know that’s where I overspend.

I rarely get through an entire book at the bookstore. Most of the time I skim. However I made an exception while on vacation last week. I stopped into a borders to cool off from the Southern heat. I went for the business section to look books on global economics and discovered “naked economics.” After starting on one chapter I liked it enough to buy the entire book. I figured if I was interested enough I should go for it instead of waiting for the library and losing interest.

I’m totally guilty of this while waiting for my prescriptions to be filled in an in-store pharmacy such as Walgreen’s. If they tell me they won’t be ready for another 10-15min, I have no issues hanging out at the magazine rack during that time.